Machine for reclaiming fastenings



R. H. LAWSON.

. MACHINE FOR RECLAIMING FASTENINGS APPLICATION FILED AUG- 16. 1918.

Patented Jan. 17, 1922.

3 SHEETS-SHEET L I R. H. LAWSON.

MACHINE FOR RECLAIMING FASTENINGS.

, APPLICATION FILED AUGHG, 1918.

1 103,507. Patented Jan. 17, 1922;

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2- w Flgz 84' //V Vf/V 717/7 Mam APPLICATION FILED AUG.I6, 1918- Patented Jan. 17, 1922.

3 SHEEI'SSHEET 3.

UNITED STATES PATENT orifice.

ROBERT E. LAWSON, OE BEVERLY, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR T0 UNITED SHOEMACHINERY CORPORATION, OF PATERSON. NEWJERSEY. A CORPORATION--01 NEWJERSEY.

MACHINE FOR RECLAIMING FASTENINGS.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented- Jan, 17, 1922,

Application filed August is, 1919. Serial No. 250,153.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, Roman H. Lawson, acitizen. of the United States, residing at Beverlv, in the county ofEssex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain In provements inMachines for Reclaiming Fastenings, of which the following description,in connection with the accompanying drawings. is a specification, likereference characters on the drawings indicating like parts in theseveral figures.

This invention relates to machines for reclaiming fastenings such, forexample, as the metallic fastenings used in the making of shoes. and ithas particularly in view the restoration to a condition suitable for useof the tacks which are spilled on the floor in the operation'of lastingshoes and are taken up from the floor together with dirt, trash and thelike in the sweepings from the lasting room.

In the lasting of'McKay shoes tacks of two different lengths are used,relatively short tacks being inserted at the shank of the shoe andlonger tacks being inserted at the heel seat and toe portions of theshoe where the stock through which the lasting tacks are driven is ofgreater thick ness than at the shank of the shoe. The operator,commonly, for example, when no lasts first one side of the shoe and thenthe other at the shank and then, after makinsz he change from shorter tolonger fastening-s, lasts the toe in d heel seat, vitln draws the shoefrom the lasting machine several times during the lasting operation inorder that he may so manipulate the shoe as toprescnt a diiferent pointon the shoe in position to receive the tacks insertedby the machine. Itis not found practicable to stop the operation of the lasting machinewhile such changes in the presentation of the shoe to the machine arebeing inade'and the continued operation of the machine results in alarge number of tacks being discharged on the floor about the machine.It is also common for operators to permit the lasting machines tocontinue in operation while achange is being made from one shoe toanother which, of course, adds to the accumulation of the tacks aboutthe machines. In the manufacture of Goodyear weltshoes also, tacks ofdifferent lengths are used for lasting the heel seat and the forepartand these tacks tend to collect on the floor of the lasting room. Verylarge quantities of tacks have heretofore been lost in shoe factories inthis and other ways since it has been cheaper to purchase new tacksthanto employ operatives to pick out the spilled tacks from thetrash'and' dirt with which they become commingled on the floor and toassort them as to length which is necessary to the end that tacks of acertain them in accordance with a physical characteristic of thefastenings- With a View to putting into eifect the above-mentionedobject of the invention the present exemplification of the invention isorganized to assort tacks in accordance with their lengths so that tacksof one length may be obtained separate from tacks of a different length.

Asecond feature of the invention resides in the provision of a machinehaving a plurality of. stations. at which are provided means foroperating on tacks, such,.for example, as mechanism for assorting thetacks in accordance with a physical characteristic of the tacks, andmeans for distributingthe tacks substantially uniformly to.saidstations.

In the illustrated. construction, the means for distributing the tacksuniformly to the various stations comprises a. rotary drum having aseries of openings arranged spirally of the circumference of the drumthrough l ich the tackspass successively to the varioi; stations. 7 l

In accordanceavith another feature of the invention, means operated in apredetermined path of movement is provided for selecting the tacksinaccordancewith their lengths, and the tacks are positioned relativelyto the path of movement of the selecting means, by means movablerelatively to the ath of movement of the selectin means In the directionof the lengths 0 comprises: members each of which extends inco-operative relation with the assorting stations. i i

. teach, the invention will be herein set fort applican s to operatingon last ingtac s, it will be understood that the invehtionj as a wholeand certain features thereof areeapahleof use in otherapplicatibnssiich, forjexampla'as the reclaiming of: other kinds ofmetallic fastenins, and itjil SitlS O recognized that the mec anicalstructure here n illustrated and described is ts extensively modifiedwithout dep rting' from the principles of the invennon. f

Other objects and features of. the invention will appear as thedescription proceeds.

In the drawings, 1

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of a machine according to theinvention with parts. broken away to show portions of the interior ofthe machine; a

\ Fi 2 is a plan view with parts broken awa better to exhibit theassorting mechanisni ofthe machine;

3 is i1 View in front elevation showing the's ide, the picker, and theassorting mechanism at the right hand side of the machine nrrrosssection; and r Fig. A: is a cross section of the yielding connection'foroperating the tack carrier.

Theniachine may be said to comprise generally 1 a plurality of assortingstations 2 having means associated therewith for as sorting the tacks inaccordance with their lengths and means for separating foreign materialsuch as dirt, trash and the like from thetacks and distributing them tothe assorting stations.

The devices for separating the tacks from foreign materialanddistributing them to as assorting stations comprise a rotarycylindrical magazine 4having a screened or otherwise reticulatedperiphery of a mesh small enough to retainthe tacks in the magazine butthrough which fine dust may ass into a receptacle 6 supported on a she f8 formed as a part of a bracket 10 extending fr'omihe machine frame andproviding a bearing 19 in which a hollow boss 14 projecting centrallyfrom one side of the magazihei'is journaled. Ablower (not shown) isconnected to the boss 14 for producing a flow of air-through theinterior of the magaziiie lin order to remove from the magazineanylighttrash which may be intermingled with the tacks. The magazine 4 is formedwith flanges or fins 16 extending radially inwards from its peripheryand operating upon rotation being imparted to the magazine to elevatethe contents of the magazine and deliver them upon a chute 18. The tacksare introduced into'the magazine t through a hopper 20 which togetherwith.

the magazine l. constitutes a source of tack supply for the machine as awhole.

The tacks which, having the fine dust separated therefrom by thescreened periphery of the magazine -11: and the light trash removed bypneumatic means through the hollow boss 14, may still have coininingledtherewith relatively large and heavy pieces of foreign material, aredelivered irom'the chute 18 into the end of a rotary drum 22 more of theopenings 24% is passing through the lower part of the path of movementof the drum beneath the line oftacks in their advance from the inlet or.receiving end of the drum toward its outlet or dehvery end.

hen, in the continued rotation of the drum. the openings 24 adjacent tothereceiving end of the drum have passed from beneath theline of tacksin the drum, a solid or imperforate part of the drum is presented to thetacks near its inlet end in consequence of which they are prevented frompassing from the drum until inrtheir advance movement toward the outletend of the drum they arrive in alignment with other openings 24 which,by reason of the spiral arrangement of the openings in the drum, passthrough the lower portion ofthe path of movement of the drum beneath theline. of tacks in the drum at a later period of its rotation than didthe openings nearer the receiving end of the drum. The size andarrangement of the openings 24:, the speed of rotation of the drum, andthe delivery of tacks to the chute'lS by the flanges 1.6 of the magazine4 may be so regulated as .to cause a substantially equal number of tacksto be delivered from the openings 24 of the drum at all points of thedrum from its receiving to its delivery end. As shown, the drum 22 isprovided with a single row only of openings 24larranged at a relativelyhigh pitch about the periphery of the drum, each of the openingspreferably having substantially one half or more of its extent dis posedon thefside'of a'plane at right angles to th axis of the drum 22 andpassing through the adjacent end of a contiguous opening opposite fromsaid contiguous opening. Referring to Fig. 1, the line A indicates aplane transverse to the axis of the drum 22 and passing through the endof the opening 126 adjacent to the opening 127, and the line itrepresents a similar plane passing through the end of the opening 1%adjacent to the opening 12-6. 'lhe larger portion of the opening 12? isdisposed on the side of the plane A. opposite from the opening 126, and,correspondingly. larger portion of the opening 126 lies the side of theplane B opposite from the opening 1%. By reason of the provision ofsingle row only of openings 2 arranged as hereinhetore described, thetaclzs are prevented from escaping too rapidly from the drums 1 he drain22 connected at its ends to disks and 28 journaled in the main frame ofthe machine. The disks are extended radially beyond the periphery of therotary drum or distributor 22 and are provided with inwardly projectingflanges 30 and 352 to which is connected for rotationwvith the drum ascreen as enclosing the drum. The primary function 01? the screen 34 isto remove from the tacks Which pass therethrough any foreign materialWhic may not have been separated therefrom in the magazine at in orderthat the tacks when delivered to the assorting stations shall be freefrom foreign material which might intert'ere with the proper:t'unctioning of the assorting mechanism or occasion breakage of some ofthe parts oi? the machine. It may be noted. however. that the rotarydrum 252 will separate from the tack any object so large as not to passthrough the comparatively small openings 24, and it is further to benoted that the screen 3% supplements tie action of the drum in insuringa unitorm distrihution of the fasteni to the assorting stations Theforeign material vered from the machine by a chute 36 to which it passesthrough the open delivery ends of the drum 22 and scr and by which isconseparated from the tacks is del.

veyed to a receptacle 37.

The tacks as thev fall troni the drnniQZ conducted to the assertingstations 2 by non to he described. in do means comprises oppositely incl1 slides rmed to present alternating rid 39 and channels ll) l). thelatte being slotted greater tha the diameter of tire less than the d' are tacks but i i tack heaos so that the teens as they tall from the drumon the slides group themselves the channels 410 supportcd by their headsin the Walls of the is clearly appears from the dr ..i

R the slides 38 are a n k of an inverted V the apex of i a positioned inthe vertical plane of the axis of the drum There is thus prov'ded "W0strnction to that at the right and the as-' sorting mechanism and otherparts onone side of the machine are similar to those on the other side.*Consequcntly, a description of the parts on one side oi the machinewill sntiice for both.

To counteract the tendency of the tacks to group themselves in thechannels 40 ot' e slides 38 with their heads riding on each other and toarrange the tacks properly in the channels, I provide a picker 42opertivcly associated with each of the channels it) and acting to engagethe head or other portion of any tack which by reason of riding on thehead of a preceding tack or for other reason is elevated to greaterextent from the slot ot the channel than are the tacks which areproperly located in the channel. The pickers e32 are mounted in collarsfrom one end to the other ot the machine and each is arranged to yieldrela 'ively to its collar 4:3 by means of a spring so interposed betweenan enlarged portion oi? the picker 4 and the bottom of the recess in thecollar iv iich receives the picker. The frame of the machine is curvedoutwardly at 8 to provide a space in which the picker may be operated."he channels ll) of the slides 38 constitute ra'ce'ii 'ays irhicliconvey the tacks downwardly from the drum 22 toward the assortingstations V "lh. tac s pass down the channels -10 to the means may becaused to remove the tack'carrier different iined by their lengths,means i tor effecting change in therelaof the tack carrier and the pathSuch oi selecting means.

the invi -tion herein illust chosen to 001 attract the selectin the formof a her extended ely of the 'i'lir'ection of movement of a the channels4:0 and parallel to -r 50and provided with un ually pro'ecting selectingportions 62 and respectively with selecting locaions5-l and 56 and tomove the carrier 50 o to carry the notch 52 from a receiving theeliecte'd but in the location in aligmnent with the channel l0 of theraceway to selecting locations 54 and 56 to present the tack suspendedby its head from the notch in operative relation to the selecting means.

The selecting bar is o erated in a fixed path transversely of thedirection of movement of the tack carrier by rotation of the shaft 51 bywhich it is carried. The path of movement of the selecting meansmanifestly is nearer the tack carrier 50 in the direct-ion of thelengths of the tacks dependent from the tack carrier at the selectinglocation 56 which is aligned with the longer projection 64 of the bar 60than at the ecting location 54 which is aligned with the shorterprojection 62 of the bar 60. When, therefore, the tack carrier 50 'ismoved so as to carry the notch 52 from selecting location 54 to theselecting location 56, the notch 52 which positions the tack relativelyto the selecting bar 60 is caused to approach the path of movement ofthe selecting bar in the direction of the length of the tack. Theprojection 62 of the selecting baris spaced from the upper surface ofthe tack carrier 50 at the selecting location 54 by a distance less thanthe length of the longer tacks but greater than the length ofthe shortertacks, the operation of the tack carrier 50 and the bar 60 being sotimed that the bar is moved by the carrier in the direction indicated bythe arrow (Fig. 3), that is, from the open. side of the notch 52 towardits closed side at the time when the notch 52 arrives at the selectinglocation 54. From the foregoing it will be understood thatif the tack inthe notch 52 of the carrier 50 is a long one, its point will be en agedby the rojection 62 of the bar 60 and it will be pus ed from thecarrier. If, however, the tack is a short one it will not be engaged theprojection 62 of the bar but will be conveyed b the carrier to theselecting location 56 whi e the shaft 51 is completing arevolution intoposition to be engaged by the projection 64: of the ,bar 60 when it isagain moved past the tack carrier 50, the projection 64 of the bar being5 aced from the carrier50 by a distance less tlian the length of theshortest tacks being operated .upon and operating to remove from thetackcarrier any tacks which are not discharged therefrom at theselecting location 54. The. bar 60 is formed with an extreme depression63 in the vertical plane of the channel 40 whichinsures that the tacksin the raceway. will'not be struck by the selecting bar in its movement.I

Both the tack carrier 50 and the tack selecting bar 60 are preferablyand as herein illustrated extended transversely of the channels 40fromend to end ofthe machine and. both of such members are operativelyrelated to all of the channels. Each of said members may be said tocomprise a plurality of like colligate sections one of which isassociated with each of the assorting stations 2. The bar 60 is thusformed with alternating longer and shorter projections 62 and 64. Asclearly shown in Fig. 3, the tack carrier is slidably mounted on a brace65 projecting laterally from the machine frame, and the notches 52 areformed in an angular portion 66 of the carrier extending upwardly in theplane of the raceways.

A plate 67 pivoted to the frame of the machine at 68 overlies thechannels 40 at their delivery ends and serves to prevent any of thetacks from being thrown upwardly from the channels 40 or the notches 52either by engagement of the selecting bar 60 therewith or otherwise.

Preferably, the long tacks removed from the tack carrier 50 at theselecting locations 54; are collected in a common receptacle whichshould manifestly be separate from that in which are collected theshorter tacks removed from the carrier at selecting locations 56. Tothis end the tacks as they are discharged from the presenting means arecaused to fall into hoppers 70 which'are alternately formed with floors72 arranged to direct the tacks into a receptacle Tel and with floors 76constructed to direct the tacks into a receptacle 78 constructed as apart of or located adjacent to the receptacle 74.

The operating means for the machine is as follows. Carried by the shaft51 on the right hand side of the machine (Fig. 1) are tightand loosepulleys designated together by the reference numeral 82, and endlessbolts 84: and 86 are provided for transmit ting the movement of theshaft 51 to the rotary drum 22' and the magazine l respectively. ()n theopposite end of the shaft 51 is mounted a gear 88 meshing with a gear 90on a stud shaft 92 suitably journaled in the machine frame, and looselycarried by the stud shaft 92 is a cam disk 9% in the periphery of whichis formed a cam slot in which engages a follower extending downwardlyfrom the tack carrier 50 whereby the car-- rim is operated from aposition in which the notches 52 are aligned with the channels 40 to'and from the selecting locations 56. Movement of the stud shaft 92 istransmitted to 'a corresponding stud shaft 95 on. the opposite side ofthe machine (Fig. 3) by an endless belt 96 which passes over pulleys onthe respective studshafts. The shafts 44: on which the pickers aremounted are operated by endless belts 97 passing over pulleys carried bythe shafts 441- and the stud shaft-s .92 and 95, respectively.Preferably, and as shown, a yielding connection 1s provided between thestud shaft 92 andthe tack carrier '50, said connection comprising aspring pressed plunger 98 mounted in the cam disk 94: and

struction is interposed to the movement of the tack -arrier the cam diskSet is permitted to more relatively to the stud shaft .92 and thusprevent breakage of the parts.

Maniiestly. the bar 60 may be formed with a number of selecting,portions variously spaced from the tack carrier 50 corresponding to thenumber of classifications of the tacks which it is desired to make.Thus, if it were desired to assort tacks in more than two groups, theselecting portions or projections 62 and Set of the bar 50 would bereplaced by a greater number of selecting portions and the tack carrierwould he moved to carry its notch 52 from the receivinn location to allthe selecting locations.

Having: described the invention. what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Lettcrs Patent of the United States is:

1. A. machine of the class described having a plurality of assortedstations. a source of fastening supply. mechanism associated with eachofsaid stations for assorting fastenings in accordance with a physicalcharaclcristic of the Fastening-s, a perforated drum for distributingthe fastenings from said source or" liasteningsupply to said assortingrstations, and means tor turning said drum about its axis' 2. A. machineof the class described having; a plurality oi? asserting stations, asource of fastening supply. mechanism associated with each of saidstations for assorting fastenings in accordance with a physicalcharacteristic of, the fastenings. a drum constructed to receivetastenings at one of its ends from said source of fastenill supply andhaving openings arranged spirally of its periphery for distributing thetastcnings substantially uniformly to said asserting? stations.

3. In a machine of the class described, means for separating tasteningsfrom forcign material, such as trash, dirt and the like, and means forassorting the tastenings in accordance with the length of thefastening's.

l. A. machine oi the class described havin a plurality oi assertingstations. means for separating: tastenings from foreign material such astrash, dirt, and the like. means associated with each of said stationsfor assorting the iastenings in accordance with a physicalcharacteristic of. the fastenings, and means associated with theseparating means tor distributing the fastenings substantially uniformlyto the assorting means.

In a machine of the class described, means for separating fasteningsfrom foreign material such as trash, dirt, and the.

like comprising pneumatic means for separati g the light trash from thefastenings l screening means for separating the heavier dirt and thelike from the fastening-s and means for assorting the fastenings inllClIfOl'illZlCB with the length of the fastenlllQ'S.

(5. In a, machine of the class described, means ior operating onfastenings, a chute for conducting iastenings to the operatingmeans.means for supplying iastenings to said chute comprising a cylindricalmagazine h aving a reticulated periphery through which tine dust maypass and provided with members constructed. to elevate the material inthe magazine to facilitate thedischarge of the material from themagazine upon said chute. and pneumatic means for withdrawinglight trashfrom the magazine.

7. In a machine of the class described, a screen. a drum fordelivering'material to said screen constructed to distribute thematerial substantially uniformly from one end of the screen to theother, and means for turningthe drum about its axis.

8. In a machine of the class described, a cylindrical screen, a drumenclosed by said screen and connected thereto for rotation thereirithand having a single row of openings arranged spirally of its peripherywith substantially one half or more of each opening disposed on the sideoi 'a plane at right angles to the axis of the drum and passing; throughthe adjacent end or a contiguous opening; opposite from said contiguousopening so as to distribute material substantially uniformly from end toend of the screen, and means for rotating the drum and screen. V

9. In a DllQlllllGOi. the class described, a frame. a cylindricalscreen. disks journaled in said frame and connected to the ends of saidscreen. a drum connected at its ends to said disks interiorly of saidscreen for rotation with said screen. and having openings arranged in asingle row spirally of its periphery with substantially one half or moreofcach opening disposed on the side of a plane at right angles to theaxis of the drum and passing through the adjacent end ot a contiguousopening opposite from said contiguous opening so as to distributematerial substantially uniformly from end to end of the screen. r

10. A machine of the class described having a plurality of assertingstations and means intermediate between said assorting stations fordistributing fastenings substantially uniformly to said assertingstations.

llv A machine of the class described having asserting stations arrangedoneach side of the machine, inclined guides extendincg1 upwardly fromsaid assorting stations an meeting in the form of an inverted V andoperating, to conduct fastenings to said assortin stations, a perforateddrum ariflnged above the guides with its axis substantially in thevertical plane of the apex of the guides and operable to distribute fasstenings substantially uniformly to said the vertical plane of the apexof the guides,

, and having openings arranged spirally of its periphery fordistributing fastenings substantially uniformly to sald guides, and

. means for turning said drum about its axis.

13. In a machine of the class described, fastening positioning means,selecting means spaced from the positioning means in the direction ofthe lengths ofthe fastenings when positioned by the positioning means,

means for operating said selecting means to remove the fastenings fromthe positioning means, and means'for effecting a change in; the spacingof the path of movement of the selecting means and the positioning meansin the direction of the lengths of the fastenings that the selectingmeans is caused to remove fastenings of unequal lengths from thepositioning means at different times in the cycle of operations of themachine so as tos'eparate such fastenings from each other.

14. In a machine of the class described, powerioperated fastenmgselecting means. means for presenting headed fastenings to i saidselecting means with their heads spaced from the path of movement of theselecting meansin the direction of the lengths of thii' tastenings by apredetermined distance less than thelength of the longest fasteningsTtobe operated upon so that such fastenings are (engaged by theselecting means and removed from the presenting means, and means foreffecting a closer approach. of the path of movement of the selectingmeans and the presenting means in the direction of the lengths of thefastenings so that shorter fastenings are engaged by the select ingmeans and discharged from the presentingmeans.

15,. In a :machine of the class described,

fastening positioning means, means for movmg the positioningmeans,fastening selecting means,and means for operating portions of theselecting means in paths spaced at unequal distances from the path'ofmovement of the positioningmeans so that one portion of the Selectingmeans operates to remove fastenlngs of one length from the positionthelength of the fastening.

, of said selecting loca I tenings of one length from the carrier, and

16. In a machineof the class described, fastening positioning means,means for mov- 111g the positioning means a member spaced atunequaldistances from the path of movement of the positioning means in thedirection of the lengths of the fastenings for selecting fastenings from[the positioning means in accordance with their lengths, and means foroperating said member transversely of the path of movement of the positioningmeans.

17. In a machine of the class described, a raceway, means at thedelivery end of the raceway constructed to receive aheaded fasteningfrom the raceway and to support it by its head, means for moving saidfastening supporting means in a direction transverse to the path ofmovement of the fastenings in. the raceway, a selector for removing afastening from the supporting means at a point determined by its length,and means for operating said selector in a direction transverse to thedirection of movement of the fastening supporting means. i

178. In a machine of the class described, a

raceway, a member at the delivery end of the raceway formed with a notchshaped to re- (-civea headed fastening from the raceway, means formoving said member transversely of the raceway with the fasteningsupported by its head in'sa'id notch, and a selector havinn portionsspaced at unequal distances from the path ofmovcment of said member inthe direction of the length of the fastening, and means for operatingthe selector to remove the fastening from said member at a point inthe'path' of movement of said memberdetermined by the length of thefastening. 7

1,9. In a machine of the class described, a positioning member having anotch formed to receive a headed fastening and to support it by itshead,'.mc ans for moving said posi tioning member, a selectorhavingportions spaced from the path of movement of said msitionin -member inthe direction of the length of the fastening by unequal distances, andmcansfor operating said'selector in a direction from the open sideto'thev closed side of the notch to remove the fastening from said.notch at a point in the path of movement of said member determined by20. In a machine of theclass described. a carrier, means'forreciprocating said carrier from a fastening receiving location towardand from a plurality of selecting locations, means for deliveringfastenings to the carrier atthe receivinglocation, means at one ions forremoving fa smeans at another of said selecting locations for renn'ivingfastenings of another length from the carrier.

21. In a machine of the class described. a plurality of fastening guidesarrz-inged in substantially parallel relation and adapted for operationon headed fastenings having elongated shanks, and means extendingtransversely of said guides and constructed to suspend the fastenings bytheir heads and assert them in accordance with a physical characteristicthereof.

A machine the class described having fastening asserting stations anotched member extending in co-operative relation with plurality of saidstations for receiving the fast-enings and suspending them by theirheads, and means for sorting the fastenings while so suspended.

23. A machine of the class described having fasteninp assortingstations, and coopcrating assortinp; members each extending past and in(to-operative relation with a plurality of said stations for assertingfastenings in accordance with a physical characteristic. of ti efastenings.

2-1:. A machine of the class described havingfastening assertingstations and means for asserting fastenings in accordance with aphysical characteristic of the fastenings comprising a rotary tackselecting member composed of a plurality of like sections arranged eachin operative relative to an asserting station.

25. A machine of the class described having fastening assortingstations, means for delivering fastenings to said stations, fasteningselecting means extending in operative relation with a plurality of saidasserting stations, means associated with each of said assortingstations for presenting fastenings to said selecting means, and meansfor etfecting a successively closer approach of the presenting means andthe selecting means in the direction of the lengths of the fastenings sothat the selecting means operates to remove first longer and thenshorter fastenings from the presenting means.

26. A machine of the class described har ing fastening assortingstations, fastening selecting means extending in operative relation witha plurality of said asserting stations, means co-operating with aplurality of said assorting stations for presenting fastenings to saidselecting means, means for operating the selecting means to removefastenings from the presenting means. and means for effecting change inthe relative spacing of the presenting means and the path of movement ofthe selecting means in the direction of the lengths of the fastenings sothat the selecting means operates to remove the fastenings from thepresenting means in accordance with their lengths.

27. In a machine of the class described, a

formed'to receive a single fastening from itsing connection for movingsaid member transversely of the guides, and means coacting with saidmember to remove the fastenings from the member at points dependent upona physical characteristic of the fastenings.

29. In a machine of the class described, a plurality of raceways, amember extending across thedelivery ends of the raceways and providedwith notches adapted to be aligned with the slots of the raeeways andeach formed to receive a single: fastening from a raceway, a barextending transversely of the respective guide,'means comprising ayieldraceways below said member and havingalternating shorter and longerprojections, and means for moving said member longitudinally of said barto align the fastenings successively with the shorter and longerprojections of said bar. I

80. In a machine of the class described, a plurality of raceways, acarrier extending across the delivery ends of-the raceways and providedwith notches adapted to be aligned with the slots of the raceways andeach formed to receive a single fastening from a raceway, a barextending transverselyof the raceways below said member and havingalternating shorter and longer projections, means for-moving said memberlongitudinally of said bar-to align the tacks successively with theshorter and longer projections of the bar, and means for moving said barin a direction transverse to the movement of said member to remove fromsaid member firstfastenings which project toward said bar sufiicientlyto be engaged by the shorter projection of-the bar in its movement andthen to remove shorter fastenings from said bar by the engagement of 1,

across the delivery ends of the raceways and" provided with notchesadapted to be aligned with the slots of the'raceways and each formed toreceive a single fastening from one of the raceways, abar extendingtrans versely of the raceways in a substantially parallel relation withsaid carrier and havmg alternating shorter and longer pro ections. meansformoving said carrier transversely of the raceways to conveyi'astenings supported by their heads from the carrier first to points inalignment with shorter projections of the bar and then to points inalignment with longer projections of the bar, and means for operatingsaid bar in a direction transverse to the direction of movement of saidcarrier and from the open side to the closed side oi": said notches toremove from the carrier first the tastenings of a length to be engagedby the shorter projcw tions of the bar and then to remove Shorterfastenings from said carrier by the engagement of the longer fasteningsiroin said carrier by the engagement of the longer projections of thebar therewith.

32. A machine of the class described, having a plurality of assortingstations. means associated with each of said stations for dischargingfastenings at different polnts in accordance with their lengths, andmeans for collecting fastenings oi" one length discharged from thevarious stations separately from fastenings of a difli'er'ent length.

33. In a machine of the class described, a plurality of raceways, acarrier extending across the delii 'ery ends of the racevvays andprovided with notches adapted to be aligned with the slots of theraceways and each formed to receive a single fastening from oneof theraceways, a bar extending transversely of the raceways in" substantiallyparallel relation with said carrier and having alternating shorter andlonger projections,

means for moving said carrier transversely of the raceway 'to conveyfastenings supported by their heads from the carrier first to a point inalignmentwith shorter projections of the bar and then to a point inalignment with longer projections of the bar, means for operating saidbar in a. direction transverse to thedirection of movement of saidcarrier and from the open side to the closed-side of said notches" toremove from the carrier first the fastenings of a length to be engagedby the shorterv projections of the bar and then to remove shorterfastenings from: said carrier by the engagement of longer projections ofthe bar therewith, and means for collectingthe fastenings removed fromthe carrier by the shorter projections of thebarseparately from thoseremoved by the longer projections of the 'bar.

34. In amachine of the class described, a plnralitvof raceways,mechanism for supplying tastenings to the raceways, and a. rotary memberassociated. with the raceways for asserting the fasteningsin accordancewith their lengths.

35. In a machine of theclass described, to-

tary means for selecting fastenings accord ing to their lengths, meansfor operating the selecting means, and means separate from the selectingmeans for moving the fasten ing's long1tudinally of: the selecting meansfor operation thereon by the selecting means.

:36. In a machine of the class described, rotary means for selecting;fastenings accord ing to their lengths, means for operating theselecting means. means for supporting fastenings in position foroperation thereon by the selecting means, and means for moving thesupporting means longtindinally of the selecting means in timed relationthereto.

37. In a machine of the class described, means for selecting fasteningsaccording to their lengths, means for operating the selecting: means,means for receiving and supporting fastenings, and means forreciprocating the supporting means to convey fastenings from fasteningreceiving position into position for operation thereon by the selectingmeans an d to return the supporting means to fastening receivingposition.

38. In a machine of the class described, rotary means for selectingfastenings according to their lengths and means for supporting theiiastenings in position foroperation thereon by the selecting means.

39. In a machine of the class described, rotary means for selectingfastenings according to their lengths. means for supporting thefastenings in position for operation thereon by the selecting means, andmeans for reciprocating the supporting means.

10. In amachine of the class described, a selector having portions ofdifierent degrees of projection, and means for presenting a fasteningfirst in the plane of movement 01: a portion of theselector having onedegree of projection and then in the plane of movement of a portion ofthe selector having a difi erent degree of projection.

4-1. In. a machineof the class described, a member provided with a notchto receive a headed fastening, means for removing a fastoning from Saidnotch, a hopper disposed beneath said member, and means for preventingupward movement of the fastening when removed from said notch thereby toinsure the proper discharge of the fastening: into said hopper.

42. Ina machine of the class described. mechanism formed. to provide aplurality'of spaced notches to receive fastenings, hoppers disposedbeneath said notches, means for re moving fastenings from said notches,and a member for preventing upward movement of the 'fastenings whenremoved from said notches thereby to insure the proper discharge of thefastenings into said hopper.

13. In a machineo'f the class described,

mechanism for receiving and supporting a plurality of fastening's' inspaced relat on to each other, movable means for pushing fastemngs ofone lengthfrom sald'mechanism and delivering theminto one receptacle,and

means for delivering the remainder of the and delivering them into onereceptacle, and fastenings into another receptacle. means for deliveringfastenings of another 44. In a machine of the class described, lengthfrom said mechanism into another re- 10 mechanism for receiving andsupporting a ceptacle. 5 plurality of fastenings in spaced relation toIn testimony whereof I have signed my each other, movable means forpushing fasname to this specification. tenings of one length from saidmechanism ROBERT H. LAWSON.

